The Republican National Committee had designated Iowa and three other states — New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — as early voting states, allowing them to vote before March 6. Under the committee’s rules, any other state that holds a primary or caucus before that date will be penalized.

The rule was approved last year by 100 of 168 Republican National Committee members, including all three from Florida. The intent was to delay presidential primaries and caucuses from starting so soon and also to encourage a longer nominating process once it starts, so more voters across the country can participate in caucuses and primaries that will decide the nominee.

Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon and other GOP leaders in the state said they didn’t want to jump the traditional early states but wanted to make sure Florida was fifth, even though the move is a violation of party rules.

“We’re the biggest swing state in the union,” said Republican former Gov. Bob Martinez, a member of the selection panel. “Texas is red, New York is blue, California’s blue, and we’re 10 electoral votes greater than Ohio. … So I think this is a real, real election in Florida.”

There are consequences. Any state that violates the committee’s rules will lose half its delegates.

Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn called Florida’s actions on Friday arrogant and called for “swift and severe” consequences that include a refusal from the national committee to credential or seat any member of Florida’s primary date commission at the 2012 convention in Tampa.

While speculation of a December Iowa caucus date swirled Friday, both Scheffler and Strawn suggested that an early January date was the most likely. “I’ve had calls every day with the other three early-state chairs, and December has not come up once in the conversation,” Strawn said Friday.

Tonight at midnight is the deadline for states to submit dates for their primaries or caucuses to the Republican National Committee. It could be days or even weeks until the calendar ruckus is sorted out and Iowa’s date is set, both state and national GOP officials said.

The date of Iowa’s caucuses will largely depend on when New Hampshire sets its primary, which had been originally scheduled for Feb. 14.

Iowa fought a similar calendar catfight to preserve its first-in-the-nation status four years ago, ultimately setting the caucuses for Jan. 3.

“It is frustrating,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky said of Florida’s actions. Iowa’s Democrats will hold caucuses on the same date as Republicans.

Other states seek to move ahead on the calendar in an effort to wield more influence in the nominating process and potentially elevate issues important to their states.

Iowa, the first caucus state, and New Hampshire, the first primary state, base their claims for early spots on tradition and the contention that they offer an ideal platform for grass-roots, low-budget campaigns. In more populous states, candidates rely much more on pricey TV advertising.

Scheffler called for the national group’s rule committee earlier this year to establish further punishment for states that try to jump ahead in the process.

“There has to be something that forces these states not to do this to us.”